Olive's Crimson Tears
by Miss. Bra
Summary: Chihiro's world is turned upside down when her best friends tell everyone she has a deadly disease,a wounded River god crash lands in her room, her guardian rambles about cats in a microwave and an admirer doesn't leave her alone. Fluff, drama and humour.
1. Chapter 1

Olive's Crimson Tears.

By xoxBra's Unrequited Romancexox

Disclaimer- I don't own Spirited Away, all rights go to Hayoa Miyazaki and Studio Ghilbi.

* * *

"I didn't mean for you to wait this long…" 

Lin is sent to the human world in a desperate attempt to get Chihiro back. Everything winds into another and suddenly, Chihiro feels like crying. [T Drama. Romance. Humour.

* * *

"Lin… Lin you must!" Yubaba cried, her wide eyes going even wider. 

The fiery, stubborn woman snorted, "I'm not going out there!"

"You are going and that is an order!" Yubaba cried, waving a finger at her menacingly.

"Uh!" Lin stamped her foot on the ground, "Fine! I'll go look for her!" and with that, Lin stormed out of Yubaba's office and slammed the door.

* * *

"Chihiro, Chihiro, are you walking with us or are you just day dreaming again?" 

"Chihiro? Are you okay?"

"Chihiro! Answer me!"

"Uh?! Oh what?!" Chihiro's head snapped up and her brown eyes looked at her two best friends who were staring back with such intensity it was scary.

"You were day dreaming again Chihiro, about that boy. If you really like him that much just go ask him out," one of her friends moaned.

Her name was Tee-jai, an exchange student from Australia. She had a slight tan, sun kissed hair and un-usually large breasts for a sixteen year old.

"I don't like him okay, he's a snob," Chihiro scoffed rolling her ebony eyes and sighed.

"Oh, come on Chihiro, it's no secret you've been crushing on him for months," the other friend, Yuna said, her high voice ringing in Chihiro's ears.

Ah, Yuna, everyday that girl reminded Chihiro of the fantasy world she had visited all of that six years ago, the friends she had made, the adventure she had… And the person she fell in love with.

Chihiro's foot hit the cement as she tumbled forward a bit. Luckily, her friends, being used to Chihiro's clumsiness caught her by the arms.

"Oh thanks guys," Chihiro smiled, Tee jai smiled back while Yuna scoffed and shook her head.

"Bet you wish that was Nobu," Yuna smirked.

Nobu was a boy in Chihiro's year. Strong, handsome and kind, he was every woman's fantasy and all of a sudden Chihiro's friends had gotten an assumption that she was madly in love with him. Of course, Chihiro played along… It was a good cover.

The three friends turned the gate to school just as the bell rang signalling them for roll call.

Climbing the steps to the 'B' block breezeway, Yuna bid them goodbye as her role call was in 'C' block.

Walking straight into class (as they were all seniors now), Tee-jai and Chihiro sat down, putting their bags behind their chair as their roll call teacher called their names.

"You know, Chihiro, you look really pretty today, "Tee-jai said as she said 'hai' to her name, turning to Chihiro.

"Oh wow, um, thanks," She smiled back.

Chihiro was glad someone thought she looked nice. Well, any one should be happy if someone thought they looked nice. Chihiro had cut off her hair; it now hung around her neck and curved under ever so slightly. It wasn't hard to see that Chihiro had matured in all these years, well seeing what she had to go through, she had to toughen up. For the good of everyone and herself.

It had been twoyears since her parents had died. Three years since she lost almost everything, her parents, her home, her life. Then her saviour came into her life. Ai was her name, a little old lady who took pity on Chihiro since she had been in the same situation, but hadn't been so lucky. Ai moved in with Chihiro, in her home. She cooked and cleaned and helped out Chihiro when ever she could. She really couldn't had asked for more. Half way into her year nine studies and her high school certificate was in coming up quickly in her young life and her parents died in a tragic car accident, she almost loses her home, gets put up for adoption. Ai was her saviour and Chihiro felt she could never repay her enough for her kindness.

Ai was a funny type of creature, calling things the opposite, or calling things what they remind her to be. Chihiro remembered she had called a little snowy cat they had seen in an adoption centre 'Blacky' and then what surprised her more was that white cat responded with a meow and a rub against the glass. Ai was in pure glee as she went and paid the twenty dollars to adopt the kitten. Another time, Ai had called Chihiro 'Ebony' and explained that she got caught in those beautiful dark eyes she had.

"Chihiro Ogino is to report to the front office as soon as the notices are read," The roll call teacher called out.

Tee-jai looked over to Chihiro wide eyed, "Who could that be, are you expecting anything, Chihiro?"

Chihiro simply shook her head, "No, it's probably just nothing, I probably left something at home and Ai picked it up for me."

Getting up, Chihiro picked up her bag and walked out of room 7, going down the 'b' block breezeway. Passing 'c', Chihiro waved a hand through the windows of room 10, where Yuna was having roll call.

Descending the steps with ease and almost a spring in her step, Chihiro turned the corner to see the front office and a lady wearing a salmon kimono type of clothing.

"Chihiro?!" She cried.

Chihiro looked at her for a second before suddenly everything clicked…

"Lin?!" Chihiro screamed and ran up to her older female friend, hugging her tightly.

"Oh my god, Lin! What are you doing here?!" Chihiro cried, letting go off her older friend.

"Chihiro, we need you to come back, there's been an emergency…" Lin said, her voice getting softer.

"What?" Chihiro pressed on.

"Come on we need you back, come on!" Lin somewhat regained her posture and led Chihiro into the front office to sign out.

Signing out, Chihiro grabbed her bag and swung it over her shoulder.

"Now what's the problem?" Chihiro asked as they both walked out the school gates.

"Yubaba will tell you when we get back to the bath house," Lin said, walking across the road, "We should be there by tomorrow if we keep walking all night."

"What? I'm not walking, look Lin, We'll drive, I just got my P's, we'll drive," Chihiro said, swinging her car keys on one finger.

"Drive in what?" Lin asked, confused.

"My car, come on," Chihiro lead Lin to a small white Holden with fuzzy dice hanging on the rear vision mirror.

"Oh… Um, alright," Lin said, a bit careful of what the hell this thing was.

Opening the door, Lin ducked and sat on the seat and found it surprisingly comfortable and soft.

Putting her legs in the space underneath part of the bonnet, Lin jumped when the car coughed and started up.

"Oh, wow, we don't have these things were I come from!" Lin cried a little.

"Yeah I know, that's why I'll leave it outside while I'm at the bath house, how long am I going to be there for?" Chihiro asked, adjusting the rear view mirror, pushing hair out of her eyes and pulling out of the school car park.

It was a good thing she had done kindergarten twice, it had given her extra age for things like going for drivers tests. Most girls in her year were sixteen, while she was seventeen and on her red 'P's. Life was good.

"I have no idea," Lin said shaking her head a little.

* * *

Pulling the keys out of the ignition and letting her small, pearly white Holden rest well submerged in bushes, Chihiro locked the car and followed Lin to the gateway that strung the human world to Lin's world.

"Come on, we don't have any time to waste, Chihiro," Lin said, re-doing her ponytail and then pulling her chocolate brown hair tight.

Grabbing a black hair tie out of her pocket, Chihiro tied her brown shoulder length hair back also and pulled it tight.

Walking through the old abandoned theme park, Lin ran ahead, "Come on Chihiro!"

Smiling ear to ear, Chihiro ran to catch up with her older friend, who was running flat out until the amusement park turned into the place of her childhood fantasy.

* * *

"Yubaba, Chihiro's here," Lin called as she knocked on the wooden door.

"Come in, come in, hurry, hurry!" Yubaba called opening the door and running back to her table.

"Hello ma'am," Chihiro greeted with a bow.

Yubaba stood a-gasped, "Chihiro! Oh my, you look so much older, and prettier, you ain't the little fat faced kid I thought you were! Oh my you're so pretty!"

"Um… Thank you…" Chihiro said confused, not knowing to take it as either a compliment or an offence.

"Now Chihiro, we have some serious matters to attend to…" Yubaba said as she sat her fat behind on a chair which groaned in agony, "We have to tell you something… Chihiro… Please don't cry when I tell you… Haku's dead…"

* * *

_Heeey! I'm xoxBra's Unrequited Romancexox but just call me xoxBraxox or just hell, Bra. Everyone else does, darling!_

_Why is Haku dead…? How will this affect Chihiro? Will she even care?! Next Chapter coming soon!_

_-xoxBraxox_

_Please review, reviews help me work faster!_


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

Disclaimer- I don't own Spirited Away, all rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghilbi.

Hey. I actually uploaded this chapter a while back. But I didn't like it so I re-wrote a part of it and yeah, here it is! Enjoy!

* * *

"H-Haku's dead?" Chihiro choked out. 

Yubaba nodded.

"H-How…?" Chihiro asked, trying hard to contain the sobs.

"He ran out on us, the stupid boy. He deserves whatever he has gotten himself into. My crystal ball couldn't find him. It's his own stupid fault. Maybe if he never ran out on me he would still be alive."

"You mean Haku never left the bath house after I did?" Chihiro asked as she wiped heavy tears away from her eyes.

"Haku never did the sort. He still trained as an apprentice under me. He back chatted, he was obnoxious. I couldn't wait until he went away. I couldn't stand him anymore, I wish I knew who the little bitch was that killed the slug I put in him to control him. I done it when he was smaller so he knew no better but as his age grew so did his knowledge and his ego."

"Don't say such things about Haku!" Chihiro cried enraged that anyone could talk such things after someone had died. Haku of anybody. "He was the kindest person that I ever met. He was dying and you just left him there! I saw you! I wouldn't even be surprised if you killed him, you wicked creature!"

Chihiro slammed her hands down in front of Yubaba, in the process, of course, waking up the baby.

Although Yubaba made a big fuss, Boh didn't stay in his room. He, instead walked out and with his small, beady black eyes looked over at Chihiro.

"Hey Boh," Chihiro waved while sniffing.

"Mama! I am angry! You made Chihiro cry! I hate you!" Boh screeched his flabby arms waving up and down.

"Oh Boh, it's alright, I was just leaving anyways. Look, I'll come play with you soon alright?" Chihiro said weakly.

"Alright," Boh smiled and bowed respectively before going back into his room.

"I'm leaving," Chihiro announced coldly to Yubaba before she turned to Lin bowed respectively and left.

* * *

"Sen! Sen!" Lin called as she followed Chihiro down the many flights of stairs. 

"What?" Chihiro asked, looking behind for a second before focusing on the next step.

Lin picked up her pace and managed to catch Chihiro by the shoulders on the next few steps, stopping her completely.

"Sen, look at me," Lin ordered putting her hands on her shoulders. Chihiro's eyes looked up, red and puffy.

"Haku isn't like what Yubaba just said, you probably know that more than me. After you left, Haku was more kinder, gentler and he treated more people with care. Well except for when he got older some of the women tried to snag him…" Lin breathed out of the corner of her mouth, her eyes wavering to the side. "Haku's out there somewhere Chihiro, and if he isn't, well he died probably happier than he had ever been, away from the bath house."

Chihiro's eyes puffed up again as tears flowed out of them. "Oh come here!" in cried as Chihiro embraced her, salty tears running out of her eyes.

"I loved him Lin, I loved him!"

* * *

Turning into the drive way to her out of city home, Chihiro killed the engine and grabbed her Lilia bag. Swinging the black bag over her shoulder, Chihiro walked over the may green grass as the sunflowers in the pot next to the door smiled at her. It had been a rough morning and all Chihiro wanted to do was have a bath and recollect what little memory she had of the beautiful Haku. Studying the sunflowers closer she noticed that instead of being a warm yellow, they had a tint of red, which was quite unusual for Ai's award winning sunflower collection. Maybe she was trying something different this year. 

"Ai, are you home?" Chihiro called placing her bag on the servery and putting her car keys on a wooden holder.

"In here dear!" Came the reply from the small room off the kitchen, the sewing room.

"Hi, how are you?" Chihiro asked the now somewhat elderly Ai.

"Oh good, good dear, I saw the doctor, you know, the one with the beard and the pen, and anyways, he said that he had a lot of patients today, but always had time for me, anyways there was the lady in front of me and, well you know the one, the one with the really bad body odour, yes, the one that smells like a cat put in a microwave, have you ever done that Chihiro? Put a cat in a microwave, have you ever watched it go around and around and around, I 'pose it would get hot, then your microwave would smell like baked cat, anyways I saw the doctor and he said how good my cholesterol had been and how good my blood pressure is, and oh how you were and I told him you were fine and anyways he said that he was going home to see his fiancée and that they're expecting. Oh! She must be so nervous! I remember when I was pregnant, I lost my baby when he was three, he drowned in a river, and I know that must be close to home with you Chihiro. He was beautiful, little blonde tuffs of hair and big blue eyes, oh I loved my little Tobi. Anyways, thank you, I am fine."

"That's good," Chihiro breathed out.

"Oh, your little friends rang while you were out; they wanted to know what happened to you at school. They said they'd meet you at that flower shop where you buy clothes," Ai said as she pushed another line of fabric through the sewing machine.

Chihiro smiled, "Oh okay…" 'Maybe it would help to go see them, get a few things off my mind.'

* * *

"Hey there Chihiro!" Tee-Jai exclaimed, hugging her friend at the first sight of her. 

"Oh, hey," Chihiro said hugging her friend back.

"What happened to you today, you didn't even get to first period?" Yuna asked walking out of Lilia and leaning into Chihiro.

"Oh, some people came up, you know they just had to tell me the results off my test at the doctors I had a few weeks ago," Chihiro lied, "So what are we here for, shopping, chips, iced coffee or all of the above?"

Tee-jai smirked "All of the above darling, you know how we work."

"Yeah, but I'm hungry, lets go get some food first," Yuna complained, touching her stomach.

"Mkay, I gotta be back home soon though I… Err… Gotta make tea," Chihiro said as the trio walked over to the small café that had a small wooden owl outside holding the menu board with its claws.

"Konichiwa, how may I help you?" The young lady at the counter asked.

Chihiro, Tee-jai and Yuna recognised her in an instant. She wasn't from their school; she was from St Claire's, a catholic private school on the other side of town. This girls name was Mayu and she was one of the prettiest girls in the town. Unfortunately, one of the tartiest as well. Chihiro could remember countless rumours of her getting pregnant and aborting, in one rumour she actually had the baby to a forty nine year old man. Of course they were all just rumours. One thing she did know was that Tee-Jai hated her, in that Mayu had stolen her boyfriend by making out with him in the middle of the secluded part of the yr 10 quad. Tee-Jai had stumbled upon them and dropped her first boyfriend in Japan like a rock.

"Um, can I have the middle size of chips?" Yuna asked while Chihiro held back Tee-Jai by the back of her shirt.

Mayu smiled at Tee-Jai as she filled it up with pre-cooked chips then smothered them with chicken salt. Tee-jai twitched as she smiled.

"…Whore…" Tee-jai said aloud.

"Man, I wish you'd stop talking in English, I can't understand a thing you say," Yuna tutted.

"No, make me," Tee-Jai said sticking out her tongue.

"Maw, you're so mean, I don't even understand what you're saying," Yuna pouted.

"Aw poor baby, you're going to make me cry," Tee-Jai said as she rubbed a fake tear from her eye.

"Okay guys stop it- Huh?" Chihiro felt her vibrating pocket.

"You've got a text," Tee-Jai said bluntly.

"I knew that," Chihiro smiled.

Yuna's eyes rolled, "another Chihiro moment."

Flipping open the phone, the screen lit up and the '1 received message' box appeared. Chihiro pressed the button below open and suddenly a screen full of text appeared.

"Damn…" Chihiro said softly, "Look guys, I'm sorry I have to head home, Ai has something to tell me."

"Aw really?" Yuna said disappointed.

"Aw, damn, okay, see you then" Tee-Jai said, waving goodbye.

"Bye guys," Chihiro waved goodbye and exited the small café.

There was an awkward tension between the two friends until Tee-Jai broke it.

"Oi," She said, motioning for Yuna to come in closer, "Chihiro must be pretty sick if she took the whole day off…"

Yuna nodded in agreement.

* * *

As Chihiro went to open the door to her home, again those Sunflowers drew her attention and she couldn't help stare at them for a second. The seemed a darker red, it was now not a tint, it was almost that the only thing yellow was the tips. Ai was defiantly changing her sunflowers this year. 

"Ai, where are you?" Chihiro asked as she dumped her bag on the floor near the dining table.

"Here darling, come quickly!" Ai called.

Rounding her way to the kitchen, she saw Ai struggling to open a… Jar…

"Ai, what are you doing?" Chihiro asked bluntly, putting her arm up to rest on the wall to lean on it.

"Oh, darling, I can't open this thing!" Ai cried, "I'm not as young as I used to be!"

Chihiro scoffed a little, "Here let me."

Taking the olive jar off Ai, Chihiro pull it a little and the satisfying 'pop' was heard as the lid came off.

"Hump, I loosened it for you," Ai said teasing.

Chihiro smiled, "Whatever… Old woman."

Walking up the hallway to her room, Chihiro decided seeing as she was called home for such a 'huge' emergency, she might as well have a bath. Maybe put a bit of essence in it, burn a few candles and put a mask on her face.

Turning into her room and flicking on he light to grab her towel, Chihiro couldn't believe what she saw.

Blood… Blood dripping on the walls, blood smeared into the carpet, blood on her desk, blood in her bed, blood splattered on the roof and then… Blood covered on the figure in the middle of her bedroom.

"Oh my god!" Chihiro cried, putting her hand over her mouth.

Sprawled out in the most awkward, gut wrenching, blood curdling way was a mangled body covered in blood. Its limbs were out of sockets and Chihiro could even see a bone outline… even the break, in the bodies arm. The clothes were so blood stained, she couldn't tell what they're original colour was.

Chihiro, gathering up all the courage she could, moved over to the body, sitting on her knees at what she thought was a head.

Touching the head a little, her fingers were instantly covered in blood. Chihiro trailed her fingers down the neck, making sure it wasn't broken, a broken neck could have been a big problem…Not that this wasn't anyways.

Suddenly it moved and a bloody head lifted up. Hollow green eyes bore holes through her body as they moved up to see her face.

A trail of blood trickled down the person's lips as they looked up emotionless at Chihiro who looked back stunned that they were even alive.

"Hey…"It choked out, the raspy voice barely audible, "You've changed…"

* * *

_Who is this person and why did they decide to seek out Chihiro? What has she gotten herself into, what do her best friends think? And what will happen if they come to the conclusion that she has a deadly disease and suddenly it gets around…?_

_Please review_

_-xoxBraxox_


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3.

Disclaimer- I don't own Spirited Away, all rights to Hayao Miyazaki.

This is like…. Really fluffy…

* * *

"I… I don't know what you mean… Are you in pain?" Chihiro asked the stranger.

He scoffed, "agony that you could never imagine… But I'm better now, Chihiro."

Chihiro was taken back, how exactly did he know her name… Well there was only one way to find out.

"How do you know my name, who are you, tell me or I'll leave you here to die," Chihiro exclaimed and then instantly felt bad for the end of her sentence.

The stranger smiled a little, "I could have left you to die as well…"

"Haku…?" Chihiro asked her vice more gentle now and her eyes softer.

"Chihiro," Haku confirmed.

"Oh, Haku, what happened to you?" Chihiro asked, touching an oozing wound on his back.

"That doesn't matter," Haku said quickly.

"I thought you were dead…" Chihiro said sadly.

Haku smirked, "believe me, so did I."

Suddenly, Chihiro bolted up and walked out the door leaving a very stunned Haku bleeding on her bedroom door.

"I'll be back in a minute," Chihiro called, closing her bedroom door behind her.

* * *

"You look older… How old are you now?" Haku choked out as the antiseptic stung a scratch on his face.

"I'm sixteen now," Chihiro answered as she covered the scratch on Haku's face.

"I see," Haku almost sang, his voice showing no sign of the obvious pain he was in. His sparkling jade eyes the only thing that stood out over his red body.

"Did Lin tell you I was dead?" Haku asked as Chihiro tended to a wound on his neck.

"You'll have to sit up now, it'll hurt… I can numb your body if you want me too, I just finished a course in First Aid," Chihiro asked, touching his back.

"No, I should be fine," Haku said.

Rolling over, Haku let out a sigh of pain and felt Chihiro's arm string around his back and lift him up. The River Spirit cried out in agony as he was pulled into a sitting position. Haku squirmed in pain, which didn't do him any good. Chihiro struggled to keep hold of his body from swaying.

"Haku!" Chihiro cried as he collapsed onto her shoulder, groaning in pain.

"It's okay… It's okay…" Haku reassured her, his hot breath tickling her ear.

Chihiro held him on her shoulder, to keep the Kohaku river spirit from falling down.

"How have you been since we last met?" Haku asked with a husky voice.

"Okay and well… not okay, my parents died in a car crash two years ago," Chihiro said sadly as she finished Haku's neck and looked down at the very long task ahead. "I'm going to have to take off your shirt, alright?"

Haku nodded, "I'm sorry to hear that. After all you went through to get them back."

"I know, but I've got a lovely caregiver," Chihiro almost smiled, "I'll have to cut your shirt, you'll be in too much pain if I take it off."

Reaching over to her desk, Chihiro grabbed her loose school scissors and placed them at the neck line. Cutting the bloody fabric down so it split at the end, Chihiro noticed that the injuries weren't as bad as she thought: only abrasions and a few lacerations.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door to Chihiro's room, "Chihiro dear, are you alright I heard some yelling, I'm coming in."

"No- No, Ai, you can't come in!" Chihiro thought of a better reason than that she was on the floor with a half naked eighteen year old attractive river spirit, bleeding and laying on her in one of the most intimate ways. Then of course, it would be how she knew such a guy, and the truthful story to anyone would be preposterous! "You can't because… I'm naked!"

"Oh… well… I won't then," Ai said, and Chihiro let out a sigh of relief. "Then what was that yelling I heard?"

This one would be a long stretch, this one she dared not to say it because of a certain male someone leaning on her shoulder. This would be embarrassing, "The yelling you heard was a one off, the pains gone now. I think I'm getting my period."

Haku choked in shock.

"Oh dear!" Ai exclaimed from out the door, "That's no good is it? Well, look, I'm going to bed, it's ten thirty, I'll see you in the morning, goodnight love."

"Goodnight, Ai, love you," Chihiro said as Haku composed himself again.

A muffled 'love you too' was called back up the hallway.

"Chihiro," Haku said after he was sure the woman couldn't hear.

"More questions?" Chihiro asked smiling a little bit.

"Yes," Haku said, "Hungry, I think I can eat human food."

Chihiro laughed a little, "I think I'll get you cleaned up a bit before I give you my food, Haku."

Suddenly Chihiro realised something, "I have a question now."

"I see…" Haku breathed out softly.

"What do you want me to call you? I mean, as in your name or… well… Haku?" Chihiro asked. Would he be the river spirit…? Or would he be, just… Well Haku?

"Say Kohaku," The river spirit ordered.

"Kohaku," Chihiro said as ordered.

"Now say Haku," he ordered again and as asked, Chihiro said 'Haku'.

The eighteen year old pended his decision and then let out a breath as he came to his conclusion.

"I thought I told you what to call me before… But you never seem to listen do you Chihiro?"

"Huh?" Chihiro asked stunned.

He chuckled, "You are to call me Master Haku, ring any bells?"

"So you want me to call you Haku?" Chihiro asked.

Kohaku smirked again and Chihiro felt the little exhaust of breath tickle her neck, "Sure why not?"

"Well then," Chihiro said, placing her hands on her hips, "Master Haku, will have to call me Lady Chihiro."

Haku chuckled, "I don't care what you call me," He said honestly.

"Then I'll call you Haku, Kohaku." Chihiro decided, putting a little twist on words.

Wrapping the final bandage around his neck and placing a bandage around Haku's arm relying on that it would fix itself like Haku had told her before she started, Chihiro tossed the empty bandages wrappers and unneeded materials to the side. Suddenly a growl rumbled through Chihiro's stomach and she blushed lightly.

"Get me something as well while you're out there…" Haku asked, breathlessly.

"You look exhausted," Chihiro noted now that she could actually see his face. She also noted that he hadn't changed really at all, of course, he was a taller and built more, but he was a rather skinny person as he had been when he was twelve. His forest green hair was still cut the same, and it suited him while his eyes although heavy and bloodshot were still as green, vibrant and warm as she remembered.

Haku just moaned in response and shifted his body weight.

"Do you think you could move onto my bed?" Chihiro asked, "If I moved all the junk off it?"

Chihiro felt Haku's head shift over, they were practically leaning on her bed so it wouldn't be that hard.

"I guess so," Haku said as he lifted his aching body up groaning in the process before he slowly descended on the bed.

Chihiro got up and straighten her school clothes, ", I'll see if there is any left overs from tea." With that, Chihiro walked out the door.

* * *

The sun filtered through the curtains on the Friday morning and touched the two figures sleeping in the room. One snuggled in blankets and drooling slightly, the other on a mattress on the floor, curled up in a ball and covered with a think cotton blanket. It was something like a peaceful opening scene, until well… the alarm clock blared and Chihiro woke up with a fright.

Chihiro slammed her hand down onto the 'off' button then check the slumbering River Spirit to see if he was still asleep. Thankfully he was.

Grabbing a towel off her desk seat as Chihiro got up off the mattress, she walked out the door to see Ai preparing breakfast. Carefully, she decided how to tell the old woman.

"Ai… There's something I have to show you… I... well don't get freaked out, but," Taking her caregiver by the hand she lead her to her room, opened the door and revealed a sleeping Kohaku.

"Oh my god, you had a boy in your room, _sleeping in your bed_ since last night! Chihiro!" Ai exclaimed.

"No, no, no!" Chihiro cried, "He's hurt, he almost died last night. He's name is Kohaku and I've known him since I was four."

"How did he get here?" Ai asked.

"Smashed through my window," Chihiro replied monotone.

Ai giggled a bit then turned away, to go back to her cooking. "Alright," Ai said, "He can stay, but if I don't like him, he is gone."

Chihiro looked at the sleeping Haku, who yawned cutely before stirring a bit. This wouldn't be too bad would it?

* * *

"Where are you going? You aren't going to leave me here are you?" Haku asked groggily as he watched Chihiro brush her hair then grab her school bag.

"No, I have to go to school; I'll be back at three thirty. Ai is here, ask her if you need anything, she will be in to change your bandages later. Please wash yourself as well," Chihiro told the River God.

"Whatever you say, little one," Haku whispered out before he dozed off again.

* * *

"Chihiro?"

Chihiro stopped and turned her head as she walked into the main gate of her school, to see Yuna running up to her waving madly.

"Oh Chihiro, what happened to your uniform?" Yuna asked when she noticed Chihiro had tried to stick to the uniform but had dressed in casual clothes.

"Oh yeah, they got all dirty, geez, blood all down the front," Chihiro said, without even knowing what she said.

"Oh my gosh, really?!" Yuna exclaimed.

"Yes, really," Chihiro confirmed walking to class.

'_Tee-jai was right!'_ Yuna thought, her mind going into a frazzle for her best friend.

Breaking away fro Chihiro, Yuna spotted Tee-Jai and ran up to her instantly.

"Tee-Jai, Tee-jai you were right! Chihiro has some serious deadly disease; she was spewing up blood last night! Oh Tee-jai what are we going to do?!" Yuna screamed.

Chihiro's head snapped back, "What no!"

But alas, it was too late, in a matter of minutes, everyone in the quad knew, and it would only be hours before the whole school knew. Yuna's loud mouth combined with Tee-Jai's dramatising created a very bad combo, so therefore, they not only heard the rumour, they believed it as well.

In that instant… Chihiro wished she could die…

* * *

_It's getting around now, how will Chihiro handle it? How will she cope? What happens when Nobu takes pity? What happens with Haku, will he be alright, and exactly what does he want?_

_Please review._

_-xoxBraxox _


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4.

Disclaimer- I don't own Spirited Away.

* * *

Chihiro walked into class and swung her bag down underneath her allocated seat. Sitting down, all she was aware of was the stares her classmates were giving her. She couldn't put up with this, it was absolute torture. Deciding that it would more likely make the rumor more believable, but get her out of school, Chihiro done something she never even thought she could pull off.

Chihiro dramatically chucked a sickie.

The teacher, who was Mrs. Hatsumomo, instantly sent her up to the front office by the ear, growling that if the girl was that sick that she shouldn't have even been sent to school. Arriving at the front office, Chihiro watched Mrs. Hatsumomo abuse the secretary until she picked up the phone and called Chihiro's home.

"Oh yes, this is Sazume from Chihiro's school, Chihiro is not well could you pick her up immediately?" Sazume said gently in her sweet voice over the phone.

Putting down the phone she told Chihiro that she could sit on one of the leather seats until Ai arrived. Mrs. Hatsumomo left back to her class and Chihiro sat studying the plaque on the wall of all award recipients. Chihiro noticed her name appeared many times, exemplary student being only one of them.

A sleek may green car pulled up out the front of the office and Chihiro picked dup her bag and walked out.

"Goodbye dear, hope you feel better," Sazume waved goodbye as Chihiro walked out the door.

"Thank god Chihiro," Ai sighed as she dumped her things in the car, "Olive has been stressing all day."

"Olive?" Chihiro said in confusion, "Who's Olive?"

"Your little friend, he's still asleep but he's been stressing about things, the bath house I think I heard him say, oh and a River." Ai huffed turning out of the driveway of the school.

"Why call him Olive?" Chihiro wondered out loud.

Ai giggled childlike, "Oh I couldn't remember the boy's name and I knew it was a type of poem, I tried calling him acrostic but he didn't answer so I decided that seeing as he had such strange but beautiful hair on his head I would call him what he reminded me of. Olives."

"You called him acrostic?" Chihiro dragged out, obviously not amused.

"Oh it was alright, he didn't wake up anyways. I assume you're not sick; you usually don't like to talk when you're sick. You get all snappy too," Ai smiled, "You can look after Olive now and I had better get some house work done."

They stepped out the car and Chihiro ran inside to her room. Dumping her bag she found Haku asleep, but he had been unsettled as all of her blankets had been tossed.

"Haku…" She cooed sweetly.

Haku stirred a little but didn't wake.

"…River…" He mumbled, furrowing his brows a little.

"Haku, wake up," She whispered, touching his face a little. There was perspiration on his face and looking down his neck and around his tunic she could see more of it. Feeling his forehead she concluded that he was too warm and pulled some of the blankets away from his body and turned the fan in the corner of her room on.

Walking out of her room, Chihiro filled a bowl of cold water and grabbed a small cloth from the kitchen before returning. Haku was still asleep when she pressed the wet, rung, cloth oh his forehead and wiped away the sweat. His neck got the same treatment and he seemed unconsciously thankful for it, breathing in and out deeply. It wasn't until Chihiro dampened his partly revealed chest that his emerald eyes fluttered open.

A soft smile spread across his features for a moment before he realized how much pain he was in. His arm wasn't healing the best seeing as he wasn't in his own world anymore, his river could have healed him fully by now.

"Oh you're awake; it's about time you've slept in for five hours, do you feel any better?" Chihiro asked gently, she didn't expect him to reply but he did.

"I feel fine, except I'm a bit sore. I worry about other things, how they are holding up," Haku breathed out, his worried emerald eyes turned sadly to the side.

"Your river," Chihiro said quietly and Haku nodded, "Your girlfriend."

"I don't have one of those, they would probably add to my worries," Haku said quietly smiling softly, "besides I've never found anyone."

"Too busy looking after your river," Chihiro smiled putting the cloth back into the bowl.

Haku smiled, "Yeah," _'Something like that…'_

"So how's your arm?" Chihiro asked, leaning over to look at Haku's arm.

"It's getting there," Haku said, moving his fingers just a little to prove his point.

"That's good," Chihiro smiled warmly, "So, how exactly did you get here?"

"I flew," Haku said smirking a little; he liked to play little games once in a while.

"No, to the human world," Chihiro said, smiling a little, remembering his dragon form. Those strong muscles, the glittering white scales, and of course his lovely aqua mane.

"I crash landed through the border while I was flying," Haku sighed, "its open around this time of year and I have to make sure no one but spirits can go through it. Anyway, when I tried to go back in but I was attacked by small water spirits who were angry at me for letting my River die on this side of the gateway. They didn't know that your kind over populated and polluted the water there. I was attacked and they're vicious little things so I found you and flew to your house."

"How did you find me?" Chihiro asked, a little overwhelmed by the whole story.

"Your hair tie, it's got spirit magic in it; it stands out easily," Haku said.

"Oh it does?" Chihiro said a bit dumbfounded.

"Enough about me," Haku declared, moving a little in Chihiro's bed to get comfortable, "Why are you home so early, you told me you wouldn't be back until some unruly hour of the afternoon."

Chihiro groaned and put her head in her hands, "My 'friends'," she seethed out as if the very words were venom, "came to the conclusion that I had a deadly disease because Lin pulled me out of school so the entire school now thinks that I have a disease even more because I chucked a sickie in class to get to go home because I couldn't stand another second there!"

"I see," Haku breathed out after Chihiro's little outburst.

"How's your River now?" Chihiro asked wanting to get off the subject, Haku noticed this and happily complied.

Chihiro couldn't describe the glint in his eyes when he told her it was beautiful, the way his stunning emerald eyes shone full of pride and emotion was too much for her to interpret. He smiled at her when he was finished and all Chihiro could think of was how beautiful it would look, there was a picture in her mind, beautiful flowers, a crystal river flowing down at a leisurely pace and then her in her undergarments swimming in the heavenly water.

"I'll take you to see it as soon as I can move," Haku spoke quickly; it seemed to Chihiro that he was unsure of what he just said but wanted to say it badly.

Chihiro smiled, "I'd like that."

* * *

It might have been four o'clock when Chihiro decided to leave the house, mainly to get Ai some groceries from the shop around the corner. Chihiro really didn't want to leave but brought it upon herself to leave Haku to get some rest. No, she hadn't been pestering him all day; she had left him at twelve and then checked on him at three, his sleeping form had been beautiful.

She had walked out the door with her head down and bumped into something hard, really hard.

"Oh, I-I'm sorry, I wasn't looking where I was going," Chihiro stammered and then she released who it was.

The person was tall, taller that she had ever seen anyone. Dark hair was scruffed up on his head in a tidy yet messy manner. Deep brown eyes looked down at her softly and with a strong glint of kindness. Chihiro released who she was looking straight into they eyes of Nobu Toshiwana.

"It's quite alright, I was actually just coming to see you," Nobu said, smiling warmly, his voice calm and gentle.

"I'm sorry I really have to go to the shop, you could come with me if you wanted to," Chihiro said a bit uneasily.

"Sure, why not," Nobu smiled and began to start to walk next to Chihiro who was fiddling with her note.

"So," Nobu started, "I know it is none of my business, but why didn't you stay at school today?"

Chihiro cringed, yes it was none of his damn well business and he wanted to know? Then she would damn well tell him. She had a river god crash into her room last night, covering her room in blood and smashing her window, her best friends spread a rumor that she had a fatal disease, her guardian has no clue whatsoever what in the world is going on but still liked to go on about how she put a cat in a microwave once but with a new twist. Supposedly that was what they had done to rat and rabbit babies when they had been born near their house, but no everything was just peachy.

"Peachy," Chihiro seethed between clenched teeth, "Just peachy."

"Keeping up with year ten alright?" Nobu asked her, turning his head to the side making Chihiro unclench her teeth and smile.

Nobu was in year eleven, the year Chihiro was supposed to be in, she was glad she wasn't because this years year eleven were a bunch of idiots.

"Oh yeah, almost over, I'm going to year eleven next year, I think I'll go towards writing for my life, you know author, I can get some great inspiration here," Chihiro smiled.

"Author, nice," Nobu nodded, "Well I'm trying out for the Kyoto Dragons, you know soccer. Maybe I'll get in to the big league one day. It would be great to play for the world cup."

"'Spose it would," Chihiro nodded.

Noticing that they had gotten to the corner shop, Chihiro said her goodbyes to Nobu, saying that she enjoyed the chat they had. Chihiro had thought she'd gotten away, until Nobu piped up.

"Hey, there's a movie on tomorrow afternoon I've really been itching to see, The Forsaken I think it's called, would you like to join me? My treat?" Nobu asked the already retreating brunette.

"Oh I don't know, but I guess, sure I'll go, what time?" Chihiro replied.

"At three, at the town Movie theatre, sound alright?" Nobu asked, victory gleaming in his eyes.

"Oh yeah, sound's fine, I'll see you tomorrow then," Chihiro waved the almost delirious boy away and entered the shop.

"Oh Chihiro-Chan, you got yourself a date!" The shopkeeper sang, "But oh no, what's this, your aura is put off, your chakra unbalanced. Perhaps there is a confusing concept in your life at the moment. Oh… oh…" The shopkeeper's voice trailed off for a moment, "Oh! Oh!" She then burst out in delight.

"What is it Mrs. Suzuki?" Chihiro asked the Shopkeeper who was smiling madly at her.

Hana Suzuki had been a superstitious person since she had been born and told that she had a lot of wood in her personality. When she was twenty she had joined a carnival as a fortune teller but getting into her retirement now she had bought a shop with her husband and made up a quiet living on the corner of Fuja and Misomi Street.

"Hah, like I'm going to tell you, give you a chance to ruin your future with some simple mistake, it's happened before and I will not let it happen again," Mrs. Suzuki declared, Chihiro rolled her eyes at the woman's theatrics and grabbed some sugar off the shelf.

"Oh sugar, sugar!" Mrs. Suzuki sang grabbing the sugar off the front counter and scanning it, "Honey, Honey! Wouldn't you be my candy girl?"

Chihiro smiled at Mrs. Suzuki's horribly off key voice. She had the worst voice she had ever heard (other than her own of course) but still she continued to sing to the customers that came into her little shop, making a song out of everything they bought. Chihiro reminded herself to buy tampons there one day.

Leaving the shop Chihiro continued her trek home, kicking a small pebble along the way until it rolled into a bit of scrub on the side of the road.

Opening the door, Chihiro noticed the award winning sunflowers back at their stunning yellow again. Maybe Ai had put a little too much fertilizer on them last time.

"I'm back," Chihiro yelled.

There wasn't much of an answer, actually none at all. There was a note to say that Ai had run out of blood pressure tablets and that she'd be back in about an hour, tea was in the microwave and just to 'zap it' for her and 'Olive'. Sighing, Chihiro put the sugar into the cupboard.

Deciding that she should have a bath as her legs were getting a bit hairy, Chihiro grabbed a new fluffy towel from the linen closet and the apricot scrub the bathroom cabinet. Chihiro made sure that Haku was sleeping soundly in her room and that the door to the bathroom was locked so she didn't have him stumbling in on her before she stripped her clothes.

She seemed to think more in the bath. Maybe there wasn't much else to do, or maybe it was just the hot water against her body that let her mind ponder on the thoughts that she normally didn't. None the less, Chihiro found herself thinking about the Bath house and all the friends she'd made their. She had missed them terribly, but now, one of her closest friends there was sleeping in her bed. She had seen Lin, that had been great and Yubaba, well not so great. Poor Granny didn't get a look in; she lived so far out, the six stop train ride was a bit too much for her last dramatic counter. No Face, she was almost dying to see him. She had always thought of him as a character and now she was even surer of it. He didn't mean to do any harm that night at the bath house, although the frog would say something else. Chihiro really missed the way although his mask stayed the same, the little slit that made his mouth, and she could almost see a smile around him when he was happy. It was a warm aura, he wasn't a monster; he was just confused.

Getting out the bath with almost numb, nude legs Chihiro mentally cursed herself. She had grabbed her pajamas and her bra but had forgotten her underwear, which meant she couldn't get dressed. How women wore clothes without underwear on she'd never know. Quietly she crept into her room and opened the door. Her bed was empty which mean that Haku had to be here somewhere. Her mind went into frenzy for a second but slowly she grabbed some undies and shot back into the bathroom, worried on getting dressed before she perused the missing River God.

* * *

Haku was returning to Chihiro's room when he had seen Chihiro walk past him. He had been to the toilet on the other side of the house; the one Chihiro had directed the direction to if the main bathroom was being used. Suddenly he saw Chihiro open the door to her room quietly in nothing but a towel and he couldn't help but blush at how much of her back was exposed and how much more was exposed in his head.

* * *

_Slowly Haku gets better and convinces Chihiro to take a trip to see his River in the Spirit World. Nobu also convinces Chihiro to go to the movies with him, does this lead to something more or is Nobu just pushing his luck, what are his motives anyway? What happens when Chihiro receives a little 'visitor'?_

_Re written part of Chapter two, I would suggest if you haven't read the new part to read the chapter again. It might explain a lot in future chapters._

_Please Review!_

_-xoxBraxox_


	5. Chapter 5

Olive's Crimson Tears

Olive's Crimson Tears

Chapter 5

By xox Bra's Unrequited Romance xox

* * *

Chihiro cringed as she woke up and it was Wednesday. That meant she had to go to school. That meant she had to face those rumours. She really couldn't face that, but she really couldn't stay home again. Haku would be alright today anyway.

Chihiro sat up off the lounge, her neck agonizingly painful. It didn't like being treated this way, sleeping on the lounge had little benefits for her body. She also had the worst back ache.

She tip-toed down the hallway, the floorboards were creaking under her weight. Quietly she opened her bedroom door to reveal a very fast asleep little river god. His broken arm was freshly wrapped and propped up onto a mountain of pillows but the rest of his body was sprawled out and his head flopped to the left. He truly was exhausted.

She smiled to herself softly and grabbed her towel off the top of her doorway, before, carefully shutting it again.

Chihiro was more prepared now. She had taken her school clothes, undies and all, into the bathroom, making sure there was no chance of embarrassing accidents. No chance what so ever.

Breakfast, however, was a bigger matter. Ai had gone to work early at the local sewing shop, leaving Chihiro to cook her own breakfast. Which was fine and all; Chihiro had no worries with that. She was sixteen and a half you know, going on seventeen. It was cooking for Haku that worried her. She had no idea what he ate!

What did he eat when she was at the spirit world? Well, she never actually saw him eat. She ate dumplings, but of course; he, being Yubaba's errand boy, wouldn't eat common old dumplings. Fish? He was a river god after all, there had to be fish in his River, he'd eat some of the fish in the river.

Then another problem rose. The only fish Chihiro knew she had was frozen, other than fish fingers. She huffed. This was getting too confusing.

Slowly, Chihiro planned out her morning, on what exactly would work. Put the fish in the microwave to defrost for ten minutes, finish getting dressed, eat breakfast, cook Haku breakfast, pack bag and go to school. So that was exactly what she done.

The microwave hummed away as Chihiro pulled back her hair, tying it back neatly with the hair band Zeniba had given to her. She heard Haku groan as she walked past her bedroom door. Popping her head in, she saw that Haku had moved in his sleep and his arm had painfully fallen onto the mattress, he was now half conscious and trying to get it back up.

"Here Haku," Chihiro whispered gently, supporting his injured arm the best she could and placing it up onto the pillow. She received a sigh of gratitude as he fell back into a deep sleep.

It wasn't healing well, Chihiro could tell. She knew Haku wasn't letting on how painful his arm was and she also knew that there was little that she could do to make it heal faster. He couldn't get medical treatment, for he was a magical being. He wasn't in his world, so the healing process was a lot slower. Chihiro ran her fingertips across his cheek, the only thing she could do was make him as comfortable as possible.

She left her room, closing the door behind her and made her way to the laundry. The room was spotless as per usual, not a piece of clothing out of place. Ai had put on the washing machine before she left, and it was well done by now. However, when she opened the lid, she found the most amazing thing. Ai had washed Haku's clothes, which had been saturated when he arrived and hadn't dried out at all. The washing machine had added human water and the magical water had leeched out of Haku's clothes and rejected the human water, creating a centrifuge of magical water and human water. This water had to be from Haku's River!

Chihiro grabbed a bucket, scooping out as much as she could of the magical water and putting it to one side. Next she grabbed a cup and, now on a high, scooped a small supply of water out of the bucket and made a beeline for her room.

"Haku…" Chihiro whispered, placing the cup on her bedside table. "Haku I think I found something that could help you."

He didn't do much, he was still extremely tired, but Chihiro saw him open his eyes a little and then let out a sigh.

"I think this is water from your river, it will help you right?" Chihiro asked, dipping her fingertips into the cold water. "What do I do with it?"

He looked at her, his blood shot eyes burning. Slowly he gathered the strength to lift his arm up. His fingers brushed across her cheek.

"I- I… alright…" Chihiro stuttered, removing her fingers from the glass over water. Gently she brushed them over his face, letting the water drip over the cuts over his face. Just like magic, the water seeped into his skin, almost healing the cuts across his face. Well, it really was magic.

She smiled as she ran her hand across the other side of his cheek. He seemed to be looking better already. The sun peeped through the curtains, highlighting the room.

"If I put this on your arm, will it help it?" She asked, dipping her fingers in the magic again.

He seemed to think for a while; his lips were coarse and dry. But eventually he opened them to whisper that he thought so.

Chihiro smiled, "Good."

The water seeped through the thin bandages and Haku instantly felt relief. This was his river's water. If he was hurting, the river was hurting. It was a symbiotic relationship, each thing benefited from the other. They were apart of each other.

"I've got some breakfast out, come out when you're hungry. If I'm not there it should be in the microwave," She whispered, putting the cup that was almost empty back on the bedside table. Slowly she rose and walked out the door.

The fish sizzled in the frying pan, sending the scent through out the house. The fillet was now a white and cooked and sent off the most dazzling smell. Chihiro had always liked the smell of cooked fish; this piece of Ling was no exception.

The smell crept through the house, sliding under doorways. He could smell it, tantalizing his senses. The smell of fish ran through his brain and his stomach grumbled. Haku's eyes fluttered open and his mouth watered; he hadn't released how hungry he was. Slowly he got up out of bed.

His shaky legs took him up the hallway and he leant onto the wall for support. He really should have still been in bed, but the smell of the freshly cooked aquatic animal was drawing him. It was that time that Chihiro walked past.

"Oh my gosh, Haku, what are you doing out of bed?!" She squeaked, wrapping her arms around his body and bring him into an embrace.

His subconscious inhaled her scent, she seemed to be more worried about him that what position she was in or that this was somewhat awkward.

"I'm alright," He whispered coarsely, his hands coming to rest on her hips. "I was just lured by the smell of fish. Tell me; did you cook it for me?"

Chihiro could feel herself heat up, her ears must have been burning a bright red. She just couldn't stand his voice, like silk, she melted.

"Yes, I thought you'd like that," She whispered back.

Haku stood up, as well as he could and walked down into the kitchen. "You're a good cook," he croaked absent-mindedly, leaning over the fish.

"T-Thank you, I enjoy cooking," Chihiro stuttered, she couldn't help the blush now.

"You should go," Haku turned back to her, "It's getting late."

Chihiro smiled. He had to tell her to leave, just when she was thinking she could spend just one more day at home. "I suppose you're right," she sighed, swinging her stuffed back-pack over her shoulder. It hung at loosely at her side. "Ai should be home in a while. Probably two hours." She turned worried eyes onto Haku.

"I'll be fine, Chihiro. I'm a lot better now. Thanks to you," Haku replied coolly.

"Alright, but there's more water in the laundry in a green bucket, if you need it," Chihiro sighed, "Better go and face hell."

The doorknob was cold as she touched it, opening it out onto the front lawn. "Seeya Haku," She called back, stepping out the door.

Suddenly, she was pulled back.

Chihiro felt his body against her back and she couldn't help it when her breath hitched. His strong arm wrapped itself around her waist, pulling her closer. She felt his breath on her neck and his lips at his ear.

"Whatever you need me for…" He whispered in her ear, "I'll be here for you... Any thing you want, I would do it in an instant."

Then in an instant, he was gone, and the door was closed behind her.

* * *

It was official. Chihiro would never live this down. It would have to of been one of the worst things that could happen in her life. She never realized how many people there was in this school, just how many people could ask her how she was feeling or make fun over her behind her back.

Tee-jai stuck by her side, however, through it all. And so did Yuna, who felt bad after receiving verbal abuse from Chihiro. The ever present Nobu dropped in to say hi too, though it seemed that he was everywhere Chihiro looked, staring at her intently.

"So, let me get this straight," Yuna sighed, "You have one of your long lost friends staying with you because he was injured and his family didn't want him anywhere near them. That's really harsh Chihiro, poor kid."

"Yeah," Chihiro sighed, "He's had a pretty rough life, but he's alright now I think. We just have to sort out a little bit with his family first."

"Wait Chihiro-Chan," Tee-jai cut in, silencing the young adult with her hand, "Your friend is a dude?"

"Yes Tee-jai he is male," Chihiro replied, "I don't get it, what wrong with that."

"You are really dense, Chi-Chan," Tee-jai muttered, "When he texts you saying to come home to have some fun, he isn't talking about the scrabble board sweetheart."

"What?!" Chihiro squeaked, "No! No, no, no, Haku and I aren't like that."

"So his names Haku, huh," Yuna chirped, "Cute."

Tee-jai threw her hands onto the table, "You mean you're not like that _yet_. Seriously Chihiro, as soon as he gets the chance, if I know men like I know men, he's going to be all over you. I mean you're hot, look at you!"

Chihiro coughed, "That's a matter of opinion."

"Tee-jai, I think we should meet this Haku boy," Yuna told the older girl sternly.

"I think we should, if he's going to try and get with our Chihiro," She agreed.

Chihiro took a bite out of her salad roll and chewed it vigorously. "You guys are over reacting. We're just friends, besides, if he did try anything, which he wouldn't, Ai is there."

"Look at me Chihiro," Tee-jai said sternly, "Right in the eye."

Chihiro gave her the hardest look she could muster.

"Now, tell me this simple question," She said, returning the gaze, just as hard. "Do you like him?"

Chihiro felt her ears burn red hot. Words didn't form in her mouth properly, oh god. What was Tee-jai going to think?! "N-No…" She stuttered out finally. "No… I don't. We're just friends."

"Alright," Tee-jai sighed, turning away. Yuna looked disappointed.

"I need to go," Chihiro said getting up, "I have to meet Mr Yubikosa for the English assignment that I don't understand. I'll catch you guys next period, ancient History isn't it?"

Yuna nodded, "Yeah, we're starting a new topic."

"Finally," Chihiro huffed, adjusting her shoulder bag, "The Incan civilization was getting really old. Anyway, seeya." She shot a half hearted wave.

"Bye," Tee-jai said.

"Yeah, bye Chihiro," Yuna waved her friend goodbye.

There was an awkward silence between the two girls. Tee-jai redone her elaborate hair, whilst Yuna pondered something.

"Hey Tee," She sighed.

"Yeah," The Australian replied.

"I think Chihiro likes this Haku boy," Yuna summed up focusing all her attention to her knees. They were very interesting at this point in time.

Tee-jai huffed and rolled her eyes, "Oh, obviously. Didn't you see how bright her ears got?"

"Yeah, I did," Yuna replied. "Hey Tee-jai?"

"Yes."

"Do you think my knees are too knobbly?"

"I don't worry about such trivial things," Tee-jai replied. "Besides, look who's coming our way.'

Yuna snapped her head up, just in time to be met with a sky blue tee shirt.

"Hi…" Said the tee-shirt, it's voice smooth and calm.

"Hi yourself Nobu," Tee-jai replied casually. Yuna looked up after realizing that Tee-jai wasn't talking to the shirt. It was Nobu's shirt.

"Where's Chihiro?" He asked, sitting down on the forest green wooden bench. He ran his hand through his neat chocolate hair.

"She's meeting a teacher. Why would you be so interested anyway?" Tee-jai asked, examining her freshly painted French nails.

"Don't be sour with me," Nobu sighed, "I didn't break up with you."

"Whatever, you were apart of it," She shot back. "But it's all in the past. What's done has been done, that's my motto in life. Now, why do want to see Chihiro?"

Nobu glanced at his watch. "We have a date this Friday night."

Yuna choked. "You have a what?!"

Nobu turned to the girl who was violently coughing. "Did I stutter? I have a date with her. I'm taking her to the movies."

"B-But she has a…"

"But she has a meeting with us every Friday night, I guess she won't be coming over to watch mind-numbing videos and discuss the elaborate plot of Virtual Villagers,' Tee-jai cut in, sending daggers to her friend.

"I guess," Nobu muttered, "But look, if you could give her this message when you see her next, could you tell her that I'll wait for her at the front gates because the movie starts at four."

"Yeah sure," Tee-jai replied.

"Oh thanks, now I have to go, bye,' Nobu waved as her turned away and started to jog towards the Multi Purpose Unit.

"Oh my gosh," Yuna spoke, gob smacked, turning around to face her friend.

"I know…" Tee-jai said, "What exactly is that girl doing?"

"I don't know," Yuna replied, "But I think we should look into this."

Tee-jai nodded, "Agreed, we have to meet this Haku boy."

"Alright."

That was it. It was decided. Tee-jai and Yuna were going to meet this Haku boy, whoever he was. They were going to sort this out one by one, and well, eliminate the contestant that failed to answer the final question; in a way. But exactly how? Chihiro wouldn't let just anybody into her house, especially if they wanted to talk to Haku alone. They had no idea what he looked like. The more they thought about it, the harder it became. They would need some serious planning for this.

* * *

It was the start of sixth period and Chihiro couldn't wait to get home. Although the fact that it was ancient History didn't make it very enjoyable.

Having a double, one after lunch and one before home time, she despised Wednesday day eight. They had really stuffed up the timetable this time. Double periods, instead of being conjoined, were scattered over the day. It was extremely hard to manage and it seemed that you had to put up with the period for twice as long.

The teacher rambled on, talking about something; Chihiro didn't really know what. Her eyes seemed to wander out of the room, to the courtyard where year sevens where playing soccer. Kami, she wished she was them right now.

"Miss Chihiro, perhaps you would care to explain to the class what the myth of colossal reptilian creatures is all about and exactly what they are," The professor's beady eyes closed in on Chihiro. Damn, she knew she shouldn't have been daydreaming.

"Y-You mean dragons, sir?" Chihiro stuttered, picking up her pen.

"Yes, dragons, explain please," The teacher snapped.

"Well there isn't much to explain. No one's ever seen a dragon, you know, it's not a common sighting," Chihiro replied.

Another classmate put up his hand. "You know sir, 'he began, "Dragons don't really exist. It's all a bunch of fairytales."

'_Speak for yourself_' Chihiro thought sourly. They did exist! She had had one sleeping in her bed for the past two nights!

"A-ha!" the professor cried, sprung, "That's where you're wrong, my dear student. For I have proof that dragons exist. Please draw your attention to the piece of paper being handed out by Miss St Claire."

Chihiro was one of the first few to get there picture, she held it in her shaking hands, not believing what she saw.

"That was taken by world famous photographer, Genevieve Duchamp. I found it off News Rise this morning; it was one of their main topics," The professor said gleefully, "And what is even more exciting is that the photograph was taken in our local area, which means that very dragon could be somewhere in our local forests."

Chihiro paled. It really was a dragon alright. It was a perfect photo of a strong creature with four legs, a long thin body and an aqua mane. It seemed to be flying, though it was too high to have any features actually highlighted and the sun was blocking part of the shot. Chihiro paled. It was Haku.

"So class," The professor continued, "I'm willing, if you all have walking notes, to get you all out of class tomorrow to go and look for this magnificent specimen."

The class cheered. Chihiro kept quiet, the nausea travelling up her throat, burning like acid. She had to tell him, he couldn't go outside, he couldn't fly. The entire world was hunting him.

The bell rung, Chihiro was already out the class door and into the hall. She rushed down the steps and out through the school gates.

She got out of there in record speeds and fell into the driver's seat of her car. Her heart was half way up her throat as she turned into the road and drove off at record speeds. She just had to get home, that was all. She had to tell Haku not to go outside at all.

Maybe she was just being over precautious, Haku wasn't nearly well enough to transform and go flying. But if he did and they did ever find him, he would be caught and cut up into pieces. He would be tested on like some animal and kept in a cold cage while scientists poked and prodded him with all these utensils to see what he'd do.

Chihiro's small car turned into the driveway of her home and she didn't even bother grabbing her bag off the front seat, she just dashed inside.

"Haku?!" She called entering the kitchen, her voice sounding desperate now.

There was no answer, the emptiness of the house bringing up her nausea again.

"Ai?!" She screamed. "Is anyone here?!"

"Sweetheart, we're in the back lounge room, me and Olive," She heard the elderly voice call from the back of the house. She felt the tears of relief prick her eyes.

She skidded and turned the corner to the lounge room, where she found Ai watching TV in her recliner, while Haku was resting on the leather lounge, drinking water from his river trying to fully register what was happening on this strange contraption in front of him.

"Oh Haku, that god you're alright!" Chihiro exclaimed, falling to the floor in utter exhaustion.

"My dear, are you alright? You look horrible," Ai said, getting up out of her seat. "Do you want some of Olive's magic water?"

Haku lifted his head up, "Chihiro, what's the matter?"

"It's horrible Haku; they got a picture of you. Everyone knows about you, they entire world," Chihiro cried, grabbing the folded piece of paper out of her pocket. "Look!"

She handed it to Haku, who had a hard look at it. Finally he sighed and laid back down, his eyes cloudy and his lips pursed. "I-I don't understand, how did they get a picture of me?"

"When you were flying Haku, and now the entire world knows. Every scientist is out searching for you and if they find you, they'll keep you in a cage and test on you," Chihiro choked, putting her head in her hands. "Our ancient History class is going out tomorrow to look for you in the bushes."

"I'll just have to stay inside then," Haku said simply turning his head and propping himself up a little by his good arm. He handed the piece of paper back to Chihiro. "It's nothing to fret about. As long as I stay in this form, people will think I'm an average human. Stop worrying so much."

"I know, but I just can't stand the thought of…" Chihiro stammered. Haku smiled gently; slowly he wiped away her tears with the back of his hand.

"I could destroy five hundred thousand of your people before I got into that position. If they ever caught me, they could never keep me," Haku said gently. Chihiro managed to laugh.

"Stop bragging, dragon," She smiled.

Chihiro giggled girlishly and turned her attention to the TV, the crisis over.

"Wait…" Ai piped up. "Chihiro I think you might have some explaining to do."

Chihiro's head snapped over to her guardian. Oh Kami, she had forgotten that she was there. She had heard it all. She knew no better about Haku than Tee-jai and Yuna, maybe a little less.

"Ai, this is Haku, God of the Kohaku River that once ran through the town on Azoika," Chihiro introduced, "I met him when I was ten when me and my parents accidentally stumbled through to the Spirit World."

The older woman pursed her lips and re-done her grey bun. "I think you had better explain everything to me, Chihiro," She said sternly.

* * *

Hey you guys,

Sorry for such a long wait. But yeah, didn't have enough time, it's getting near the school holidays, so I'll have more time to write and such. And no, it doesn't have anything to do that I'm going on a fishing trip and the only technology I'll have will be my laptop and the already installed motel phone. So yes, I expect many nights me and my laptop will have quality time.

Ha-ha, poor Haku. Geez, he's got the world after him and Chihiro's friends who need to suss him out. How will this all turn out for our favourite scaly friend?

But yeah, don't expect updates for a while, I'm trying to be fair to my other stories. I'll try and write a new chapter while I'm on holidays but there are no guarantees. If not at the end of the holidays, very early next term, if my teachers decided to let me that is. Oh and that I don't get addicted to the Virtual Villagers game, which is probably bound to happen.

Alright then, I know where this stories going, which is good. I totally forgot, so I had to re-read all the chapters.

So yes, Please review, I like coming home to a nice inbox full of emails. It makes me quite happy actually. So yeah, tell me what you think of the story so far.

I would put a smiley face here but screens them all out. He-he.

Alright, catchyas!!

-xoxBra's Unrequited Romancexox


	6. Chapter 6

Olive's Crimson Tears

Chapter 7.

By Miss. Bra

Disclaimer- This, in no way, is mine. All rights go to Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghilbi.

* * *

"I'm so sorry Ai," Chihiro wept, hugging the older woman. "I just- just, didn't know how to word it properly and I didn't want you to think… To think that I'm a freak!"

"Oh, darling," Ai said softly, taking the young lady in her arms, "I could never think you were a freak!"

"Everything started when we moved here, D-Dad wanted a stop, he wanted to check out an old building or something, I don't remember that much now… All I remember is all the friends I made at the bath house and Haku. I remember Haku."

Ai let go of her, smiling gently, "Oh Chi-Chan, he is such a beautiful boy; so kind, so handsome."

Chihiro giggled, "He's over ten thousand years old you know."

"So old!" Ai exclaimed, "No Chihiro, I do not like older men going after my little bean."

Chihiro laughed, "No Ai, it's not like that at all. Haku and I are just friends, I'm just patching him up that's all. There's nothing going on between us."

Ai scowled her, tsking with a long finger. "Don't think I don't know you because I do, don't think I don't know what a teenage brain thinks because I do. Haku is an attractive male who's spending countless days in our house, in you're room. The inevitable is bound to happen, Chihiro. You are bound to fall for him," Ai paused, "Unless, you've already done it."

"Nonsense!"

"Girl do you not understand Japanese?" Ai replied, turning to leave, "My Chihiro, just kiss him and put your lusting soul to rest!"

"I'm not lusting for him!" Chihiro cried to Ai's departing figure.

The old lady cackled, turning into the kitchen. She turned on the light and Chihiro heard the gas stove clicking into life.

Chihiro collapsed onto the floor, head in her hands. Was it true? Had she really fallen for Haku? Was she lusting for him? Did she want him? No! No! She wouldn't believe that. He was a guest, which was all. She would heal his wounds and then he would leave. He would pop around occasionally, the years passing by, melting into each with ease. He would be pretending to be a best friend from the past in front of her human husband. He'd play with her two children and cradle the third baby delicately. He'd then leave for a while, she would then die and he would place flowers on her grave whenever he was in the human world.

Her heart screamed at her, was that really what Chihiro wanted in her life?

She rubbed her puffy, swollen eyes, making them itch more.

She didn't love him; she was attracted to him and that was all. Though, what other girl wouldn't be attracted to him. She admitted he wasn't an eye-sore; he was quite easy in fact. She was merely attracted to him.

That was all, attracted. Not in love, not crushing, just attracted.

"Chihiro?" The voice cut like a knife in the air.

Chihiro shot her head back up, her puffy, sore eyes locking into emerald. "Oh, Haku, what are you doing?"

"I was just coming back, I just went for a walk," He said, pulling out a heavy, wooden dining chair and sitting in it.

"How are your legs now? Are they still broken, did the water help?" Chihiro asked softly, dragging herself over to sit on the floor, next to Haku's chair.

He lightly touched his wounded legs. "Yes, it helped a lot. It's not broken anymore, just weak. Being in this dimension isn't helping me all that much as well."

Chihiro's head shot up, her eyes wide. "You aren't thinking of leaving are you?"

He looked down, his gaze softening against hers. She was like a lost little puppy, or a small child. _Please don't leave me_ her gaze screamed to him. He merely gave her a soft smile. "Don't worry Chihiro; I'm not planning on leaving for a little while. That is, if it's alright with you?"

She nodded, wrapping her arms around his leg and resting her head against it. She felt his hand on top of her head, entangling its self in her brown locks. He smiled as he felt the silky tresses fall through his fingers.

"Tell me," he said softly. "How old are you?"

She looked up at him, "What, I told you that the night you got here Haku."

"Hm, yes, there's not much I remember about that night," He said.

"Oh, well, I'm sixteen." Chihiro answered, looking down again. "What about you?"

He smiled gently, "Age isn't a factor when you are immortal."

"Just…" Chihiro stood up, "an approximate number."

"Come here," He said gently, wrapping his arms around her torso gently. Chihiro smiled sadly, sitting gently on his lap. "Now, tell me exactly what's wrong with you.

What have I missed out on Chihiro?"

She sighed. He seemed to know everything about her lately; all her emotions. "I miss my parents." She felt her eyes swell up and her vision became blurry as she fought back the fat tears that forced their way down her cheek.

"I know…" He said, burning his head into the crook of her neck. Slowly, he placed a hand on her back, running it up and down gently. "I know you do Chihiro."

"I-It just isn't fair! They were taken from me! I was fourteen… I- I was alone…" Chihiro stammered, choking on her own sobs. "I want them back Haku, I want them back!"

He merely nodded and pulled her closer; into an embrace. She shook against his chest, curling up against his warmth. "I… I moved here, I made some friends," She continued. "Everything was fine until… I t-tried to move on, to get on with life… B-But it's just so hard! I can't keep everything bottled up… I just can't Haku!"

He held her for a while; though he couldn't tell how long. It may have been only a few minutes or half an hour; he couldn't tell.

"I-I should get going. I'll be late for school," Chihiro stuttered quietly, "B-Bye."

He smiled warmly, letting his arms fall to the side. "Bye," He said, a little dazed.

Chihiro grabbed her bag and swung it over her shoulder, muttering a brief goodbye to Ai and stumbled out the door.

Haku smiled lightly, resting back into the chair. Why did he just allow himself to do that? Embrace the young friend he thought he knew in such an intimate way. Though he knew he shouldn't have done it; he was glad he did. It was some twisted emotion. He knew; as soon as he got used to the fact that Chihiro wasn't the shy little naïve girl he used to know and the mature, emotional, devastated pre-woman she was the better life would be.

He glanced up, smirking slightly. The old woman wrinkled her nose slightly.

Her short arms were crossed and her eyes were unreadable.

"I liked you better when you were too weak to move."

Haku smiled softly, "What do you mean?"

Though he knew exactly what she meant.

* * *

It was Friday night and Chihiro had kicked an unusually quiet Haku out of her room to prepare for her upcoming date. She groaned; again, why was she going out with Nobu? She had felt 'nothing' there, so why did she agree to go out with the guy? Chihiro inwardly screamed. She didn't know why in the world she was feeling this way.

She liked Nobu.

But she liked Haku more.

Why was this so hard? In a perfect world everyone would go off with the person they liked more.

But this wasn't a perfect world; Haku was immortal, a spirit, not of this world. He was being hunted. He wouldn't grow old and he wouldn't die unlike Chihiro. He was nothing like Chihiro wanted and yet she was the only one she ever wanted she assumed.

It had been six years since she'd seen him and even at ten she felt a connection. She scoffed, she was ten. How could a ten year old know what love was? But she didn't love him; she just liked him. Chihiro had felt as if she had gone over this a million times; her heart trying to defeat her logic.

That she loved Haku.

Or that she liked Haku.

In the end, neither one because she was too tired to debate the topic any further.

Chihiro adjusted the leather belt that sat just under her breasts holding up a shimmering purple strapless dress that fell just above her knees. Dress black high heels complimented the outfit and her hair was pinned into a loose bun with a black ornamental pin. Finishing her bare make-up with a quick wave of her index finger to smooth out her extremely thin foundation, Chihiro grabbed her Chanel bag and walked out into the main living room.

"Look alright?" She asked meekly, pulling the hem of her dress up and smiling shyly. Ai clapped in response.

"Beautiful," She said brightly, "You look great Chihiro."

Nervously her eyes darted over to Haku who was resting on the ground, an arm over his eyes.

"Haku?" She asked.

Slowly he moved his arm and emerald green eyes peeked out. "You look good," He said softly, before his arm back over his eyes. Chihiro sighed softly; did he really mean that?

"Well, okay, I guess I have to wait around for a little while til N…" Chihiro was cut off as the door bell echoed through the house. Haku peeped over his arm and sighed heavily.

"Bye then," He said.

Chihiro shot him a quizzical look. "What?" She said, "Don't you want me to go."

"Do as you please, it's your life," He replied emotionlessly.

She gave him a quirky look. What was up with him as of late? He had been unusually quiet and now that she was going out tonight with Nobu the tension seemed to become thicker. Well, she thought that there was tension there; did he?

"Alright, I'll be back at ten. We're just going to the movies, no where else."

"I believe you," Ai said as she received a peck on the cheek. "Off you go."

"Alright," Chihiro said. She bent down to give Haku a quick hug. The river god wasn't co-operating so Chihiro pushed her arm behind his back and pulled him up into an embrace. "Goodbye Haku," she whispered gently in his ear. "I'll be back soon."

The tension seemed to ease a little when he hugged her back. "Okay," He said letting her go. "Bye."

Chihiro smiled softly as the door bell rang again before running to get it.

He listened as they made small talk and as Chihiro got into his car. His acute hearing heard her talk to him as his car turned down the main street but by the time he had turned down Haku felt guilty about prying into Chihiro's love life. He wasn't hers. He kept making promises to himself that he wouldn't think that she wasn't the little girl that he saved; that she wasn't just his and that she was a girl of the world. She could have the world and he would indeed give it to her.

**No!** He wasn't hers; she wasn't anybodies. She would choose who she would decide to be with; even if it wasn't him. Everything would be up to her. Though the more he thought about it; the more it seemed unlikely that she would end up with him.

Immortal and Mortal? Would that ever work?

* * *

It was quiet; quiet and dark. The picture rolled on into another action scene and Chihiro was lapping it up. It was a great plot with great gut wrenching twists. She knew both her and Nobu was enjoying it because of the fact that twenty minutes ago she and him were still laughing out loud at a scene that happened five minutes ago. The complaints travelled to the security officer who gave them a warning. Chihiro and Nobu were still snorting even when he left.

So it was a change that it was quiet; all that could be heard was the occasional chomp of popcorn; the 'Pssst' of a soft drink opening or the 'Rrrrrr-clunk' of a Jaffa rolling down the isle. The collections at the bottom were mainly thanks to Chihiro and Nobu rolling Jaffas down or throwing them at unsuspecting viewers.

The movie finished and they made their way to the car quickly, laughing and having fun all the way.

"A-And remember when the comedian was like 'Not jokes are very funny in America, you're shirt is black,' and he was like 'My shirt is black,' and then he was like 'Not!'. That was so funny!" Chihiro was gasping for air, leaning on the clean exterior of the Toyota. "That was so funny."

Nobu was sitting on the ground as he found it a waste of time to get up because he would start laughing and fall down again. "I know," He said, "It was the best movie ever!"

There was a pregnant silence between the two before the shot each other suspicious looks before bursting out laughing again.

Which ever way Chihiro looked at it, it had certainly been a memorial meeting; whether it was a date or not. No, Nobu wasn't the senior she thought she knew; the mature one, the cold one. He was a fun-loving kind of guy, he was caring and funny and charming. Really he was a nice bloke; now she saw why a lot of people liked him.

Nobu was really easy to fall for.

* * *

She was back by ten just as she promised and found Ai waiting up for her. Apparently Haku looked drained so she sent him to bed unconditionally. Chihiro grimaced and remembered when she used to do that to her.

She tiptoed into her room to find Haku wide awake and staring at the ceiling.

"Have a good time," He said suddenly, making Chihiro jump.

"Umm, yeah, yeah I did," She replied nervously grabbing her pyjamas from behind the pillow.

"He seems nice," Haku said. Chihiro smiled gently. Haku saw the moonlight highlight her face.

"He is really nice Haku," Chihiro replied, closing the door behind to get changed in the bathroom. "Really nice," she said as she closed the door behind her.

Haku was left to ponder in the room. He was 'so nice' apparently. Well, he was nice on the part that he listened in on. 'So nice', he felt the jealously swell up into throat. It was a pitiful emotion, jealously.

Haku just had to keep reminding himself that _she wasn't his…_

She wasn't his and has free to do whatever she pleased.

_She wasn't his._

And yet the pang of jealously hit him harder than he could imagine.

* * *

It's short; yeah I'm sorry about that. But when you're a writer you have a feeling when you are finished a chapter and when you should carry it on. To go to another scene wouldn't have the same affect.

My dedication to past reviewers…

saya-plus- Aww, thank you. I'm glad you like it so much. Haha, I'll try and put updates out quickly though I can't promise anything. I have a lot of things on at the moment. I'm glad you added it to your favourites and hope you're computer is fixed so you can read this chapter!

beaner93- No, well, it will take a lot for Haku to take him outside though remember that they only saw Haku in his dragon form and have no idea what his human form looks like; if he stays like that he'll be fine. Thanks for reading!

Lillythemarshmellowqueen- I'm always a little nervous about Yuna and Tee-jai because I'm not sure that I can portray original characters well for one to like them as much as Chihiro etc. Its especially easy with one friend though to make Chihiro not seem so lonely I had to add two. Bit of a challenge for me and I hope I'm getting a better writer as the chapters progress. Thanks for reading the story and I hope you will continue.

Other reviewers that I want to thank are: freckles rule, meri47, German Mickey, K,T,M, rin916, fire dragonheart, flower391169.

Please review!!


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

By Miss. Bra

Disclaimer- I don't own Spirited Away, never have and probably never will. : D.

* * *

"So how was you're date?"

"Where are you going? Chihiro get back here. "

"Get any lip action?"

"Bet you're depressed now you didn't, or did that boy that you're staying with make it all up to you?"

"They have a two bedroom house; I wonder where he sleeps…"

Chihiro had just about had enough. It was only the morning and yet it seemed that Tee-jai and Yuna had only started prying into her social life. She took a swig of her

Cola soft drink and slammed the empty can on the wooden lunch bench.

"I cannot believe you two," She squealed. "It's been one period! One period only without you rattling off about my life, half the school thinks that I'm dying because of you."

"One period?" Tee-jai asked meekly, "Surely it's been longer than that? It's after period three isn't it?"

"No, it's only break after period one," Yuna replied, "We've only keep quiet for one period."

Tee-jai furrowed her brows, glancing over at Yuna quickly. "Really," She drawled, her Australian accent coming through. "My god that was hard!" She turned back to a fuming Chihiro. "So how'd it go? And don't worry about the school, we felt really bad about all that so we made up a rumour to cover a rumour."

_Kill Me Now…_ Chihiro grimaced.

"Hey Rumi, that's the girl that went to the mental institute, that one, the brunette."

Chihiro snapped her head around, her teeth grinded against each other until they hurt. She glared at the young boy and his friend 'Rumi'. He backed off.

"Woah, it looks like she needs to go back there. They shouldn't let them out of that place, not when they're that bad!"

The boy and Rumi ran off quickly. Chihiro snapped her head back to her 'friends'. It would be a miracle if they would ever be friends after this was over. After Chihiro was through with them.

"Hey, it was better than you were dying. At least you wouldn't get pity dates," Tee-jai reasoned to her enraged friend.

"Nobu is probably a pity date you know," Yuna whispered to Tee-jai not so quietly.

"Excuse me!?" Chihiro screeched. "How dare you two? You we're meant to be my friends, look what you've done to me. My reputation is down the drink!"

"Look on the bright side Chihiro," Yuna said quickly. "At least people will know where you get you're great ideas for your stories from. It makes them even better if people think your insane!"

"And it makes my love life totally better too!" Chihiro spat.

Tee-jai grinned. "Oh, my little friend, that's where you're oh so wrong." She leant back triumphantly, "Nobu doesn't think your crazy- or so we think," Tee-jai added quickly, "And when you date people, people will see the real you and not that you're some mental and that's what they'll be attracted to. They will see the real you."

Chihiro sent a death glare. "You're so friggin cliché, which never works."

Tee-jai shrugged, "Whatever Chihiro, you non believer."

The bell blasted through the school yard and the children started looking for their next class. It was about time, Chihiro was about to murder her so called friends.

How could they do that to her? Why did they have to start rumour after rumour about her? They couldn't have been totally honest, that they had assumed something wrong and had gotten it all wrong and that Chihiro Ogino wasn't dying that she simply had her… mauled guinea pig die on her or something. Most of her year had no knowledge to back up if she was a guinea pig fanatic or not.

Chihiro shook her thoughts. They were getting much too whacked up for her liking. Whacked up like a mental.

She thanked the gods that she didn't have class with Yuna or Tee-jai for the next two periods.

She didn't want to see them.

She didn't want to talk to them.

And at this very second, she didn't even want to know them.

* * *

And so, Chihiro had managed to live the day without running into, talking, or even seeing Yuna or Tee-jai. Now she trotted home along the rough tar road. She passed the corner shop, giving a wave to the shop attendant who was whistling a tune as she swept down the dirty drive-way.

"Morning Chihiro, lovely day isn't it?" She said heartily.

Chihiro grinned sourly. "Yeah, totally. Great day, but I heard there's a chance of rain."

Mrs Honey looked up into the sky. "It all looks pretty good to me." She replied. Chihiro looked up. The sky was a clear blue, with no clouds in sight.

"Oh well, must be just Channel eighteens weather man."

Mrs Honey scoffed. 'Sweetheart, in 1979 Channel eighteen weather man predicted a hurricane to come here. Mr Honey and I looked up our house and travelled to the main land. We travelled to our daughter in Hong Kong and you know what, that hurricane never came and we left our homes, like the entire population of this here town for nothing. They have always been useless from that point on. Never trust em, Chihiro, never."

Chihiro smiled half-heartily, "Alright… Thanks Mrs Honey…"

"You're welcome dear," She replied softly, as she placed her broom to the side of the shop and went inside.

Chihiro continued walking up the street. The sun belted down on her and Chihiro wished that there was a small possibility that it would rain.

_And what, let Haku see you walk in drenched with a see through t-shirt that sticks to your every cur-_

She shook herself mentally. How dare she think that? Chihiro blushed heavily. That was so bad, it wasn't even funny. When did she become such a pervert? Especially about Haku, why was it not about Nobu? What made Haku so special? It wasn't as if she was going out _with_ Haku or anything.

_He looked at her with his soft brown eyes. His lips flicked up into a smile as he pulled up into her drive._

"_Well Nobu, it really was a wonderful evening. I really enjoyed it," Chihiro said, picking her bag up from the ground and flicking open the car door._

"_Chihiro," Nobu said quickly. "Chihiro wait."_

_She spun around. "Yes?" _

_Nobu sighed, running his hand through his cropped brunette hair. "Listen, I don't really ask this on a first date but… I really like you and I hope you like me too. Do you want to go out, as in for real? Chihiro, will you be my girlfriend?"_

_Chihiro blushed softly. "Oh Nobu, I – I don't know…" She giggled. "But, yes, I will be. I'll go out with you."_

_Nobu grinned. "That's great! Awesome, I'll see you tomorrow then."_

_Chihiro stepped out of the car. "Alright then Nobu, thanks for tonight. See you!"_

_The car sped down the road. Chihiro watched until it became out of sight and went inside where she knew a certain dragon would be awaiting her arrival.…_

Her mind suddenly raced. It wasn't as if she was going out with Haku, but it was that she was going out with Nobu. How was she going to break her 'not so single' status to Haku? He was the one who would take it harder than anyone. Suddenly, her mind flooded back to all his gestures and sayings that had been 'not so innocent'; in which they all had a different meaning. Even when he declared that he'd do anything to her, the way he held her as he pulled her back was not in a friendly way- with his head resting against her shoulder blades and his arms wrapped tightly around her waist.

She couldn't break it to him, not just yet anyways. Her heart ached. She couldn't break his heart; she would never break his heart. She'd do anything to stop it. He didn't deserve that, after everything he'd been through.

* * *

The ringing phone echoed through the quiet house.

Chihiro yawned and rolled lazily off the lounge. She'd probably better answer that before it woke the snoozing dragon beside her up.

"Moshi Moshi?" Chihiro said sweetly, picking up the phone. She glanced back into the lounge where Haku was still sleeping peacefully in the stretched out recliner.

"Oh hey Chihiro," Tee-jai's voice came over loud and clear.

"Mm, hello," Chihiro replied coldly, "What do you want?"

"I know we were really mean to you today," Tee-jai said softly, "I'm really sorry, me and Yuna are so sorry."

"Yeah, Chi, please forgive us," Yuna piped through on the other end of the line.

"So we were wondering if at six you wanted to come out for dinner, as a kind of make up thing. We'll shout," Tee-jai replied.

"I can't," Chihiro said quickly.

"W-Why not?"

"Ai is going out tonight," She said, "and I have to stay home with Haku."

"Bring him along," Tee-jai suggested. "We'd love to meet him. I'm sure a night out would do him good. We'll pay for him too."

Chihiro bit her lip. Was it wise? She peeped into the lounge again where a groggy Haku was slowly waking up. She sighed.

"I'll ask him."

She wandered down the hallway to the lounge room. Haku stretched his bones, yawning loudly. Chihiro covered the phone.

"Hey Haku," She said softly. He looked up with glassy green eyes.

"Yes?" He replied groggily, settling down into the recliner again.

"Want to go out tonight, with me?" She asked, taking a stray strand of his emerald hair and pulling it back over his head so it rested in place again.

Haku sighed. "What do you mean?"

"My friends invited me out tonight; we go out to a restaurant for tea. Come with me?" Chihiro asked. "Please Haku, please."

If he wasn't so tired he would be lapping up the pleading that Chihiro was giving him. Suddenly the shoe was on the other foot and Haku could see he didn't need to do all the wooing in this blossoming relationship he was trying to create.

"I suppose," He said. Chihiro took her hand off he mouth piece.

"Alright, I'll come," Chihiro said.

"Great," Tee-jai squealed, "It's at Kimiko's families restaurant, 'Suzuki's at seven, an hour is that alright?"

"That's fine," Chihiro replied. "See you then."

She clicked the phone off and sighed heavily. "We had better start getting ready then Haku, we've only got an hour."

Haku exhaled heavily, opening his heavy eyes. He rolled off the recliner and groggily stood up.

"Are you feeling alright, you know, we don't have to go if you don't want to go."

He shook his head. "No, I'm going." He said defiantly.

Chihiro bit her lip as he walked past her. "Alright, go have a shower then Haku…"

* * *

Yuna was ecstatic as she smoothed her strapless black dress. Both her and Tee-jai stood out the front of 'Suzuki's' awaiting Chihiro's and Haku's arrival.

"I can't wait to meet him," Yuna said quickly, a large smile plastered on her lips.

Tee-jai however was more serious, "We cannot let her fall in love with him."

She said sternly, glaring down the excited, over the top Japanese teenager.

"What?" She screeched. "What do you mean Tee-jai? Why not? What if she already is?"

Tee-jai huffed. "She isn't. Look at it like this. I have Chihiro's best interests in mind. We can't let her fall in love with him because when he leaves; which he will, she'll be a wreck. An absolute wreck; I've seen it before. It's better that she gets with Nobu than this 'Haku' character."

Yuna furrowed her freshly plucked ebony brows. "That makes sense. I reckon you're right Yuna. Oh my god here they are."

Chihiro smiled softly, adjusting her black dress. "Hey guys," She said warmly.

"H-Hey, Chi," Yuna stuttered.

"Hi…" Tee-jai muttered a weak response.

Chihiro smirked; it was obvious who they were looking at.

"This is Haku, who you've been so dying to meet," Chihiro said, introducing the tall man by her side.

Haku smiled graciously, "Hello," He said warmly. Chihiro watched as her friends started to loose their footing. His voice was so alluring, like silk. He almost wanted to make her melt at that point.

"N-nice to meet you," Tee-jai said. Being the more mature one, she held out a hand to shake. Haku leant out from behind Chihiro and shook it.

"You too."

Chihiro watched as her friend flushed. Even Tee-jai could act like the school age teenager she really was, instead of her serious, troubled, hard as rock girl she was.

Yuna gave Haku a sweet and shy wave while giggling madly. Haku smiled back.

He turned back to Chihiro and placed his hand onto the small of her back inconspicuously. He was hiding too far behind Chihiro for Tee-Jai and Yuna for them to suspect anything. Though he saw Chihiro blush a little under the intimate gesture.

"Shall we go in?" Haku said, pushing Chihiro on the back slightly.

Yuna nodded, "Yes, yes we should." She opened the door. "Come on then, I've gotten a reservation."

* * *

"Chihiro," Haku said softly, leaning over to where the girl was looking at her menu.

She looked up, "What is it Haku?"

His eyes dilated and he bit his lip. Chihiro giggled softly. He was so adorable when he was embarrassed.

"Just tell me Haku," Chihiro said softly. "What's wrong?"

He placed the menu in front of her. His eyes wandered over to the two across the table, he scowled inwardly when he found the two pairs of eyes watching him intently.

He leant over towards the human woman. Chihiro smiled. Haku could smell the perfume she had put on before they had come; it wafted off her neck and intoxicated his senses. She could be his meal for the night.

"I don't understand it," He whispered so it was only loud enough for her to hear.

"What isn't there to understand Haku?" She asked him, turning his head. "You can read it right?"

"I can read it," Haku replied. His eyes wavered over to the girls across the table.

"Why can't you read it?" Tee-jai said, eyeing off the dragon dangerously.

Chihiro smiled. "Haku's native tongue is a… dialect Japanese. I was just wondering if he could read our Japanese, but he can. He comes from a small village. He's never been to a restaurant."

Yuna raised her eyebrows. "Really, well, I can help you with the menu," She said. "What do you like to eat?"

A smile played on Haku's lips. "Meat."

Chihiro smiled. "He eats mainly fish. His family lives on a riverbank, they catch their meals."

"Oh I'd look in the seafood section then," Yuna said. "Mmm, what about Salmon cutlet with creamy dill sauce, served with salad or vegetables."

Haku smiled, his eyes dancing over to Chihiro who smiled back. "Sounds good. I might have that then." He looked at his menu. "Won't need that then."

They ordered and the young waiter tried to take the orders while becoming very flustered with a flirty Yuna.

"So Haku, you're fairly grown up, aren't you." Tee-jai got the conversation going. "What do you do in that village then, what job do you have?" Tee-jai asked, intertwining her fingers together and leaning her chin on them.

Chihiro watched his reply with interest.

"Actually, I half own a bath house," Haku said. "I travel from the riverside a lot. Actually most of my time is spent co-owning the bath house, I only go back to the riverside once a week to check on… family." He chose the last word wisely.

"Really," Tee-jai said. "And mind me asking, but you look eighteen, do you drink?"

"I'm eighteen," Haku lied through his teeth. "And, yes I do drink. Sake."

Yuna raised her eyebrows. "Sake really? That's strong stuff."

"It's all you can get where I live. It's actually extremely popular. We get wines, but Sake is what everyone drinks."

Tee-jai nodded. "I see Haku. So, what about your family? What are they like?"

"My family," Haku repeated, he glanced over to Chihiro who bit her lip. "They are fine. My father is dead and I don't see my mother that often. I'm an only child."

"Oh that's horrible." Yuna said.

"I've been an apprentice since I was eleven. Now I part own the business," Haku replied.

"That's certainly impressive, What about you're…"

"You don't look Japanese," Haku cut her off quickly, before she could ask another question. "If you don't mind me asking, where are you from?"

Tee-jai smiled. "I'm from Australia, Japanese is my second language. My parents owned a farm in the outback before they died. I'm here with my aunt."

Haku nodded. "What did you farm?"

"Wheat and sheep," Tee-jai said. Yuna stuck her tongue out.

"Eww, livestock. Eww."

"Sizzling Mongolian lamb?" The young waiter said, holding up a steaming dish.

Yuna smiled. "Right over here my man."

The waiter blushed heavily as he placed the dish in front of Yuna.

"Oh great!" Yuna glanced up at the man. "You can leave now," She said as she picked up her fork. The man blushed before walking away. Chihiro snorted. Of course Yuna was the only female she knew that would flirt with a man and then totally cast him aside when food came into view. Typical Yuna, only thinking about her guts.

Chihiro's meal was next; she had opted for poultry and got a pleasant surprise when a chicken fillet was placed in front of her, topped with avocado, creamed cheese, sun dried tomatoes and a spicy sauce. It was served with a large baked potato and assorted, honey roasted vegetables.

"That looks so good," Chihiro grinned, "And it's all mine." She glanced over at Haku who was eyeing her with amusement. "Sorry Haku, there are some things in life that I have to have to myself."

"Reef and Beef?" The young waiter said again. Tee-jai put her hand up.

"That's me."

"And Salmon?"

"That's Haku's," Tee-jai said, pointing to the young man sitting across from her. Haku smiled graciously as the meal was placed in front of him, though he shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

He still wasn't used to all these, tables and chairs. His world was so different to their world; the tables were high with high seats to sit on. It was really quite agitating because everything was out of proportion. He was a little scared if, in some unfathomable way if his meal decided to slip off his 'fork' and fall down his tunic.

His meal, the salmon, was tenderly cooked and the sauce was drizzled over the top. Haku got the same vegetables as Chihiro, which were also honey roasted and had a potato topped with sour cream. It was a large fillet of fish and Haku decided that, in some possible way, it may be adequate substitute for his first preference of his meal tonight.

* * *

"I'll pay for me and Haku, you're not paying," Chihiro objected, putting the fifty dollar note in front of the young waiter.

"Fine," Tee-jai sighed. It was useless to object to Chihiro when she was like this. All she could do was give in. "I'll shout you something else later on."

Haku pulled the door open. "Shall we leave," Haku said. Yuna giggled as she walked out the door.

"Oh, look at those thugs," Yuna said, pointing over to some teenage boys drinking and smoking across the road. "I think I'll need an escort home, Haku? Would you?"

Tee-jai scoffed as she walked through the door. "Stop falling all over him Yuna," Yuna turned bright red. "Your mums picking you up, She told you that as she drove off."

"Oh shut up Tee-jai," Yuna pouted. She spied Chihiro coming out of the restaurant. "Chihiro, Tee-jai's being mean."

"No I wasn't," The Australian protested. "I was just stopping her from falling all over your boyfriend, Oh…"

A smile tugged at Haku's face, though he managed to conceal it. He looked down to Chihiro.

Her heart lurched and suddenly Chihiro felt the urge to cry. Haku was not her boyfriend, Nobu was her boyfriend. She felt like she was betraying Nobu.

"Haku and I are not seeing each other," Chihiro said.

"Sorry, I know," Tee-jai said. Mentally, she was slapping herself. How could she say something as stupid as that when her main ambition was to _not_ make Chihiro and Haku fall for each other? She bit her lip; but by the way they acted tonight, that task would become more arduous than she had expected.

"Tee-jai, you want a ride," Yuna snapped Tee-jai out of her thoughts. Yuna's mother had pulled up on the curb and had stuck her head out the front.

"You want a ride Tee-jai," Yuna's mother said. "Come on, hop into the car."

"Alright," Tee-jai said, clicking the back door open. She turned back to Haku and Chihiro, "See you later Chihiro… Nice to meet you Haku."

"See you," Chihiro waved.

"Nice to meet you also," Haku said.

The car drove out of the curb. It beeped as it travelled down the road.

Haku sighed heavily. "How are we getting home, are you ringing a…" He frowned as he thought of the word. "Taxi?"

"Yeah I probably should call one," Chihiro said, whipping out her mobile phone.

Haku smiled. He put his hand over the phone and lowered his lips to her ear.

"Perhaps I could be assistance in this department," He said seductively, taking hold of her hands in his.

Chihiro looked up with wide eyes. "Oh no Haku," She said, "What if someone sees."

"No one will see," Haku whispered, he looked at the teenagers out of the corner of his eye. "Fly with me, you'll love it."

"No Haku…" Chihiro said. It was so tempting.

His lips flicked up into a smile.

"No Haku," She repeated.

His eyes flashed.

"Haku!" Chihiro screamed.

In an instant she was thrown up into the air. She watched beneath her with horror as the area where Haku stood flashed.

'Oof!'

She landed on his back. Chihiro grabbed hold of his horns as she slipped down his long body. Haku climbed into the sky as they light started to fade. Chihiro peered to the ground that was passing underneath them. The wind picked up her brown hair and she hiked up her dress so she could straddle him easier.

Chihiro nuzzled her nose into his mane. This was blissful. She didn't care if anyone saw them, she didn't care if she ruined her dress or her heel dropped and plummeted to the ground, she didn't care about anything at that moment except for them.

Nothing at all.

* * *

Hey, sorry. Oh my god, you know I promised another chapter early in the term and it's like, what two weeks until I break up again. My gosh I am so slack. No seriously, I am.

I had this half written and then my computer decided to kick the bucket and I lost everything. I had forty stories/chapters and some unpublished one shots not to mention multiple original stories I've been writing.

On a brighter note, let's reply to some reviews!

SaiyaNoKageruAi: You're right, you're cousin is a dumbass. I hope the poor kitty is alright. The thing started as one of my friends asked a strange teacher if he'd ever put a cat in a microwave, or a frog, or a cane toad and it went on. It was funny at the time (when I wrote the first chapter) but it's worn off, so don't expect to see anymore of it. I have four cats and love them all very much. Actually, I have two here with me now. They're asleep on my bed (How they do it with me banging at the keyboard is beyond me). Anyways, this reply is getting longer than the story! Thanks for the review and keep reading and reviewing!

marium: The green eye of envy gets bigger. And bigger… Thanks for the review.

katiesquilts: Haku is just cute full stop. Yes, he is insanely jealous, though he won't admit it. I just admitted it for him. As above, his green eye of envy gets bigger and bigger.

saya-plus: I have so much on at the moment, I barely find the time to write my fan fiction. Thanks for your review and I hope you like this chapter.

Lillythemarshmellowqueen: This must have been millennia then! Yes, well after this chapter it gets very VERY dramatic. Oh, I've said too much…

Salru: I'm glad Ai and all my originals are likable. With Spirited Away and this sort of story you have to put in OC's, other wise it doesn't work. I'm trying to work on my character building but I'm glad to see its working. Fear not, you can read this now!

Plushietiger: Yes, when Tee-jai and Yuna really see Haku it will be a shock (If they ever do XD) Hehe. I hope this chapter fulfilled your meeting needs. Chihiro denies her feelings a lot, doesn't she?

.what.a.beautiful.calamity.: Yes, it is a CxH story so don't fret. Aww, Nobu is much too lovable to become a bad character, don't you think? I do. XP. He's just… controversial, that's all.

And thank you to the other reviewers:

freckles rule

WolfKeeper989

Arya MageFire

fire dragonheart

K,T,M

Remember to read and review!


End file.
